The Body of Christ

 Unity Gained from Proper Use of Spiritual Gifts

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 12

 What are Spiritual gifts?

 A Spiritual gift is the God-given ability to serve Him in the command that He has given to us.

 Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

 Spiritual gifts are given to the saints of God for the purpose that the whole Church might be built up and increased and grow to maturity.

 It is the Holy Spirit who decides what gifts are best for us and best for the Church.

 Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

 The Holy Spirit He is God with equal standing in the Trinity of God.

 God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not three Gods but one God in three persons. The Triune God!

 We may be born with natural talents, some of which are passed down from our parents, but Spiritual gifts have their origin with the Holy Spirit.

 Some of these gifts are even called "grace" gifts, a gift of God's "grace".

 Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.

 Our lesson begins with verse 12, but let's see verses 4 and 11 before we begin.

 *****1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.   

 The Apostle Paul is addressing these issues because of the controversies raging in this church in Corinth over so many things, and now, Spiritual gifts.

 Paul said that there should be no pride, no controversy, and no division over Spiritual gifts because these gifts are decided by the Holy Spirit.

 God had given many Spiritual gifts to the saints in Corinth so they could minister to the pagan citizens of Corinth, but this church could not minister the Gospel because of the many divisions inside the church.

 The Lord Jesus Christ identifies His saints with Himself.

 **The life we now live belongs to our Savior: Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 **We have put on the New Man: 2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

 Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

 Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

 **The Church is now the Body of Jesus Christ: Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

 When we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, we were baptized in water as a symbol of our relationship with Christ.

 We know from Scripture that we are now home to the Holy Spirit, so we are now baptized by the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

 **The Holy will convict, chastise, and strengthen us until we are a useful member of the Body of Christ. Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

 It does not matter what our background in life had been; we are all treated the same by the Holy Spirit, but this does not mean we will all have the same gifts to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are all united in One Body of Christ.

 Act 10:45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

 We should understand that the Holy Spirit is in fact, the "Living Water" of God

 There is only one Church, one Body of Christ.

 *****1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many. 

1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

 Some who are less gifted feel like they are unimportant to the cause of Christ.

 Some who are more gifted feel like they are God's gift to the Church.

 These are untrue things!

 Every child of God has the same importance if we remain in the will of God!

 The "Body of Christ" is not one member but all its members working in one cause.

 Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

 The unity of the Christian Church is most important because we seek one common life, and it is eternal life.

 It is the Life of Jesus Christ that supplies nourishment to the Body of Christ, and if one part falls away, then the Body of Christ loses its strength.

 Why is the Church failing today because much of the Church has abandoned the nourishment that can come only from Jesus Christ!

 1) Each member is necessary.

2) Each member has an essential function in the Church. The Church cannot function if the members do not function according to the gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit.

3) Each member is placed in the Body of Christ according to the will of God. God does not just set prominent members in the Church; God sets all members in the Church.

4) Each member is distinct.

 Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

 We must try to make the best use of the gifts God has given to us!

 *****1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body? 

1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body. 

 Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 

 We must not envy those we think have more important gifts.

 Those who seem to be more gifted must not look down on those who seem to have less gifts.

 In fact, the less gifted members are more necessary to the Church!

 That worker who is never seen by the crowd is much more essential to decisions for Jesus Christ than the evangelist who is at the center of view.

 In fact, the prayer warrior who can reach Heaven may be the most essential member in the Church, even more than that great preacher behind that pulpit.

Charles Spurgeon had a hundred and twenty praying for him in a room right under his pulpit, and he gave the credit for his great sermons to them.

 The point is that no believer or group of believers is to look down on the less gifted members in the Church, who are actually the backbone of the Church.

 1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 *****1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 

1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 

1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 

 What we consider great or small is never the same as how Jehovah sees things.

 To God, only one thing is important, and it is that we faithfully fulfill the order He has given to us, His will for us.

 God does not reward the size of the gift but the faithfulness to use that gift.

 Mat 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

 In the human body, we have things like the heart, the kidneys, the lungs, and other organs. Though we cannot see them, they are of crucial importance to the body. 

In the Body of Christ, it is exactly like that.

 All the work that is to be done for the Lord Jesus Christ must be bathed in prayer. Therefore, the greatest gift may be that prayer warrior, but every member has their importance to the plan of God.

 Even those sitting in the pews each have their particular importance as prayer warriors, and workers who take God's message out into the world.

 We are to support one another as we love each other. Support can mean many things besides money. Sometimes a good compliment goes a long way if it is done in love.

 We must take our place with the gift God has given to us and pay attention to where we can be of the most profit to others.

 Love is the greatest power in the Church, and many times it is shown the most by the faithful women of the Church.

 We are all to complement one another for the Church to reach those that God intends to be reached!

 *****1Co 12:24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 

1Co 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

1Co 12:26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 

 “Comely” means handsome, suitable, graceful, but just a little less than beautiful.

 It can also mean well-formed, honorable, and noble.

 We must understand that there is a difference between the Christian Doctrine of unity and equality, and the world's doctrine of one standard for all.

 In the Church, there is a place for the rich and the poor, the great and the small, the high and the low, the greatly gifted and those whose gift is unnoticeable to others, and no class of Christians is above the others or lower than the others in the Church.

 We sometimes forget that it is the Lord Jesus who is building the Church for Our Heavenly Father.

 With the Holy Spirit in the lead, the Church will be at peace with each other and the Church will be strong in the world.

 A Church at peace and full of love will be full of members who have the same care for one another.

 Act_4:32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:

 This should describe the Church that the Lord Jesus is building during the Church Age, while realizing that the Kingdom of God is very near.

 When one member is suffering, then all the Church should be suffering with them.

 When one member is rejoicing, every member should be rejoicing with them.

 Not one member is more important than another in the eyes of God, and we must use this as the Lord's design for the Church.

 *****1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

 Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ!

 Every believer has their own place in the Body of Christ!

 It is a supreme privilege to be known as a child of God!

 1) God has set Apostles in the Church if we understand that the modern apostle is an ambassador for Christ.

 As ambassadors for Christ, we belong to Christ. We are commissioned by Jesus Christ. 

We possess the authority and the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

 Just as every apostle, each ambassador is chosen by Jesus Christ.

 There are no true Apostles today who saw the Lord Jesus when He was alive.

 No one today possesses many of the gifts given to those Apostles.

 Still, as ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will give us the gifts that are needed and that we can use for the good of the Church and the glory of God.

 2) Second, God has set prophets in the Church, but those prophets are our preachers, pastors, evangelists, and missionaries, and do not use the name prophet anymore because we have the complete Word of God which the Holy Spirit uses to give that man of God the message God wants us to have on that particular day.

 I'm sure God still speaks to those He has called, but there is no new prophecy to be given that we do not already have in the Scriptures.

 3) God has set teachers in the Church, and each teacher is to use the existing Scriptures to teach as the truth of God and not deviate from those Scriptures.

 2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 4) It is only God who can perform miracles today, and much of it is because of prayer, but we also know we are surrounded by Angels, and we may not know until we get to Heaven the things God has saved us from and the miracles that have kept us going. Even when the Apostles performed miracles, it was through the power of God, not a power they had themselves. They also had the Holy Spirit living within them.

 5) The gift of healing is no longer given to men but comes according to prayer and the will of God.

 Jas 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

6) The gift of helps belongs to those who are always ready to jump in to help others who are in need. Some believers are always ready to lend a helping hand, and every Christian should have a part of this gift because it is a sign of love.

7) The gift of tongues is looked upon differently in many denominations, but the Bible is specific that the word tongues means languages and known languages.

Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 

Act 2:11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

They never spoke in an unknown language. This was never a foundational gift to the Church.

Tongues were actually a sign of unbelief!

1Co 14:21  In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 

What we should understand is that the Holy Spirit will give us what we need to remain in the will of God and be useful to the glory of the Church and the glory of God.

There is a reason the Holy Spirit gives such gifts to believers: Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

We are to take the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Glory of God and not any glory for ourselves!

Amen

Furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Joy in the Furtherance of the Gospel

Book of Philippians 1:1-17

The Church at Philippi had been established by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey and it was the first Christian church established in Europe.

We should not forget it was from Europe that the "Gospel" found its way to these United States to form a nation where the people could freely worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible!

We offer the freedom to worship but, the Constitution declares the freedom to worship the Lord Jesus Christ which at that time was being denied to those in Europe.

This is the Church that was established in the house of Lydia. This was a place of great poverty yet, this was first New Testament church to provide financial aid to Paul for the furtherance of the "Gospel" wherever he was.

So, as we study these epistles, we should consider that Paul was writing first to the Church itself (the Body of Christ) and secondarily to the Pastors and the church leaders.

*****Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Paul did not introduce himself as an Apostle to this church, they already understood this to be true. The greatest title any Christian can have is "Servant"!

God did not save us to be His servants, God saved us to be an integral part of His family. As part of the family of God we are to be servants to and of the Church and each other.

This is the task our Savior chose for us all to follow!

Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

To be a Holy Ghost filled servant to the Church in the ways of Jesus Christ, is the only way to Sainthood. All other ways are fake!

It is the Saint that is eternal, the offices of bishop and deacon are only temporary and of this earth!

The Word of God never uses the word "Saint" to refer to just a select group of people!

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

BUT, a "Saint" can only be sanctified by holding to the truth of God's Word!

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

The term "Bishop" is used throughout Paul's epistles an elder of the church. This is a person that in some way has oversight in the functioning of the church and it is the entire Body of Christ that is to appoint such persons.

In fact, Jesus Christ said He was the Bishop of our souls, because it is only Jesus that has oversight over our souls and is the Chief Shepherd of the Church!

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Also, a fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures:

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The Deacon is the servant inside the Church to help meet the needs of the Body of Christ. They can also be messengers, or even runners.

What did Peter say? Act_6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, "and serve tables".

This is the reason that the first deacons were elected and again they were elected by the "Body of Christ", not the apostles, for a specific purpose and it was never to try to dictate the ways of the Church.

Peter said to "wait on tables" a servant to the Body of Christ.

It is the Pastor who is to lead the Church in the ways of Christ Jesus and it is the "Body of Christ" that is to approve all church leaders and deacons". Of course, the Pastor must be involved in all these things!

1Co_14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

It is by God's Grace that the Church has been given this opportunity or better said, "the privilege" to take on the work that the Lord Jesus Christ has given us to do, until He returns.

It should clear to us all, we live in the time of God's "Grace"!

*****Php 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church has three main functions:

1) Assemble as the Holy Ghost filled Body of Christ to worship our Father in Heaven, Jehovah God, in spirit and truth.

2) To instruct, "born again" believers in the truth of the Word of God. Makes "babes in Christ" to be "mature Christians".

3) Make disciples of the mature Christians, to take the Word of God and the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" out into the highways and byways and the uttermost parts of this earth!

There is no doubt that Paul had Timothy with him to instruct a young preacher boy in the ways of the Church.

After all these things are working as directed, then and only then can the Church be a real help to the communities and to our nation!

All these things come by the "Grace of God"!

It is only the "Born Again" child of God that can be at peace with God, our Father, and that peace only through and by the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is because of God's "Grace" that we have been given this privilege!

*****Php 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

The true Church has delight in all things that the "Gospel" brings. This cannot happen in any place where the Word of God is not accepted for the complete truth.

God is a loving God but he is also very serious about the words He has given to us!

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

How can anyone ignore what God says at the risk of their name being removed from the Book of Life?

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is only because they are servants of Satan!

If the entire body of Christ would quit giving in to society and politicians and this lost world, then there could truly still be a furtherance of the Gospel even in our time which is fast coming to an end!

We must remain steadfast to the truth of the Scriptures, no matter what others say!

We are already on the winning side, it is the enemy that must change their ways!

God being who He is, simply cannot fail and He certainly cannot be defeated!

We as Christians sometimes get downhearted and weary in well doing but we must never think we are the only ones in the battle.

Paul thanked God because Paul knew that this Church in Philippi was in this battle with Him!

I hope the missionaries supported by our Church always feel that we will be with them and supportive of them!

When we cannot help them financially we can certainly help them with our prayers of "faith"!

*****Php 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

We are wrong if we do not pray for our church every day! Not just our local church but for all the "Bride of Christ"!

If you love the Lord Jesus Christ enough to trust Him with your soul, then we are all in the family of God, living for Christ and sharing Christ with those that cross our path and if none cross our path then we need to seek them out.

Remember Christ died for His enemies!

We sometimes make Christianity to be a burden when Christianity is all about the Joy of the Lord!

We are to pray for those that we know and even for those we do not know!

The "fruit of the Spirit is joy"

Gal_5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Eph_5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

The Holy Spirit does not give one-person Joy and another "truth"

When the Holy Spirit moves in, He brings all His fruit with Him and shares all that fruit with us.

It is a privilege to be filled with the Holy Spirit and He will never leave us but we still need a refilling every day.

It is also a great and sometimes misunderstood privilege to go into the throne room of God with our request!

When prayer becomes a duty rather than a privilege how can we ever expect an answer to our request?

A prayer of duty is a prayer that lacks "faith" and without "faith", we simply cannot please God!

If we cannot please our Father in Heaven, then we have wasted the blood of Jesus that has washed us from our sin!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We simply cannot allow our mood to interfere with our relationship with the Lord! The Lord is always the same, He never changes, a great example for each child of God!

The Apostle Paul was in fellowship with all the churches that he had planted. We should still be in fellowship with all these apostles and we do that when we follow the Apostles Doctrine and not something altered by some other human.

Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Why the Apostles Doctrine? The Lord chose these men to start the New Testament church!

Anyone who teaches you that we are to depart from the Apostles Doctrine is telling you a lie!

We need to accept the Apostles Doctrine in the Church and accept the Prophets of God as the voice of God!

What are the doctrines of the Church? (The Church, all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior)

The entire Word of God rightly divided and in context!

These are the true things of the Church in the days of the Apostles and these things are still the truth today!

These things bring joy to the Church and a joyful church will hold a people who are in complete fellowship with one another!

*****Php 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The mark of fellowship is a partnership. We are all (the Body of Christ) in this thing together!

Denominations are a man-made obstacle to decrease the strength of the Church!

What is the key to our fellowship?

The "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ! The salvation plan of the Lord!

There are so many places that have rejected the truth of God that there is very little fellowship in the Church of today.

The one thing that brought the church together to begin with was the work of Jesus Christ!

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Church must never be ashamed of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ! (It seems that the modern-day Church has become ashamed of the only Savior of this evil world) They have forgotten that our Savior, is also our Redeemer, the One who has "Justified" us before our Father in Heaven!

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

You cannot be a true Church and be ashamed of any part of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

There is no justification to those who reject the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Christian fellowship begins with a Spiritual bond with our Father in Heaven and His Dear Son!

All these things must hold true to be called "The Church"!

If we cannot commit our faith and our lives to the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ there will never be fellowship in the Church!

The Church is in fellowship when we all live the same kind of life, doing the same kind of things, living, serving, bearing witness to the truth of the "Gospel"!

Why is the Church so weak in this world today? We have lost fellowship with the Holy Spirit because we have lost fellowship with each other!

The modern-day church has rejected the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ and teach some other man-made doctrine of humanity!

God says the only New Age Movement that will bring salvation, is the Old Age Movement of Jesus Christ!

Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Jer 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Jer 6:18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

Jer 6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Why do so many think God has changed, when it is impossible for God to change.

Mal_3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;

It is also impossible for God to lie!

Heb_6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

How can any so-called body of believers, believe that God has some new salvation plan that will include those who refuse to give up their sin?

It has never been this way.

This is the lie of all false religion which all such things.

Not happening!

As believers, we must be confident in the truth of the Scriptures!

Once saved, God fills and seals us with His Holy Spirit!

2Co_1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Eph_1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph_4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit will never leave us and He will remain in us, even when the Lord Jesus returns to take us all home.

The Lord Jesus causes us to be "justified" and the Holy Spirit will begin to "sanctify" us and that work will not be complete until the Lord returns to "Glorify" us!

This the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who once begins His work in us, will perform it until He returns!

We should clearly understand God will never begin a work within us and then quit because some of us, (as I am), hard to work with!

It is always we that quit on God and not God that quits on us!

Therefore, it is called "Grace"! God's Riches At Christ Expense.

*****Php 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

We must remember what the Lord has said!

2Co_12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

As the Saints of God, we must persevere under all conditions! We must persevere in the truth of God's Word, there is no other way!

What had God said of the Apostle Paul?

Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

Was it our God that caused the pain and affliction of the Apostle Paul? That answer is no. It was this world that hates the truth that caused Paul to suffer so very much.

The Lord just knew this would be true!

The entire church will share in the afflictions of the Apostle Paul when we share the truth of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

So many so-called places of worship are giving in to the world and refuse to believe that the "Grace" of God is still sufficient to meet the needs of the Church.

Any body of believers who cannot or refuse to persevere in the truth of the "Gospel" are set for doom and failure and they will be held accountable for those, they take with them!

The same Saints who can persevere in these times, are the same Saints who are sealed in victory!

The entire "Body of Christ" must be closely bound to the Word of God and the Doctrines of the Apostles, including the Apostle Paul.

We must remain in "harmony" with the truth of God!

God does not change and neither should we. "We are to always hate sin"! Every "Born Again" child of God must repent of their old lifestyle!

A drunk cannot remain a drunk.

A murderer cannot kill.

A gay person must adhere to the Word of God.

The gender those were born in will remain their gender until the day they die.

No doubt those who cling to the truth will suffer in this world but if we suffer together, we can bear one another's burdens.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Yes, the law of Christ is love but salvation cannot come to those who refuse to repent their personal sins!

We cannot love someone into Heaven, they each have to deal with God in a personal manner and then obey what God has said!

We must remain partners in the "Gospel" and not some altered version or some perversion of the Word of God!

When our Church leaders are imprisoned and mistreated, it is not time to abandon the "Gospel"!

It's pass the time to buckle on the "armor of God" and go to war!

God says this:

Rom_12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

This means that it may not always be possible!

If we cannot defend the Lord Jesus Christ, then how can we say we love Him?

We must take the "great commission" of the Lord seriously!

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

It is those who refuse to believe they are damned, who will be the true enemy of the Christian Soldier!

We must remain partners in Christ!

We must remain partners in "Grace".

We must remain partners in the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

We must remain partners in the Love of God!

*****Php 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

We must clearly understand the love of God.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

There is no salvation to anyone who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ!

To accept the Lord Jesus Christ is to accept that He is certainly God in the flesh!

This "faith" will bring this same love that we are to show to one another.

We must also clearly understand that "love" in the Scriptures is never about feelings!

Love in the Scriptures is about acknowledging the Love of Christ!

Love in the Scriptures is about the knowledge of one another.

Those we love are those we want to know in a personal relationship.

God has intended, from the time of Adam and Eve to work toward a personal relationship with each of His created human beings.

That work was completed by the Lord Jesus Christ and those who believe in the "work that the Lord has accomplished" (for our personal relationship with our Creator) will spend eternity with Him!

Those that reject the work of Jesus Christ will spend eternity in the only other place that exists and that is the "burning Lake of Fire", for this world we live in now, will not exist forever!

If we strive for that personal relationship with our Creator, then we would be very foolish not to try to please Him!

The more we love the Lord, the more we will try to please Him!

The more we love each other, the more we will encourage each other in the Lord.

It is only by that love that we can become pure and pure means: cleansed from sin, unstained by the ways of this world, with our eyes focused on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Another way to remain close to each other is to pray for one another!

Love grows in prayer!

God's love, embraced with "faith" is the power behind the Christian life and the power behind our prayers!

This is the love that will be evident to the world!

Many will accept what they see but many will reject this love as a fallacy, and nothingness, but we must never be discouraged.

True "faith" cannot exist without love!

The Scriptures are our pathway to the knowledge of the truth, doctrinal and even practical.

Judgment in this verse means perception. We must be able to discern good from evil.

We must understand the sin of immorality and that it has no place in society and certainly not in the Church.

Judgment here is discernment! Discernment is the act of distinguishing the truth from those things that are false, according to the Word of God.

It is love, based upon our "faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we can obtain the knowledge and the judgment of the Christian life!

*****Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Discernment is the power within us to perceive the differences of things and ideas and their relationship to our daily walk with the Lord.

Some ideas may seem worthy of our time, until we test them and find they are not worthy of the Lord.

Things that are excellent are the things that go beyond our own thoughts of good.

Things that are of great value can be used in our own mission for the Lord.

Things that are complete are without the aid of other things in the sense of being Christ like.

Anything that could become a stumbling block to another brother or sister in Christ must be avoided!

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

True discernment means we will choose only those things that are acceptable to the Lord!

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

There are no fruits of righteousness that do not come through the Lord Jesus Christ!

What is expected of the Christian life?

1) The Christian must bear fruit.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

2) We must bear the fruits of righteousness.

Jas_3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

3) We must bear inward and outward holiness.

Eph_4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Heb_12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

We must also understand that not every bad thing that happens to Christians is a hindrance to the Gospel!

*****Php 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

Php 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

Php 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

We should understand it was the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ who had led Paul to go to Rome.

Act_19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

Act_23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

God will never begin a mission just to end it suddenly!

All God ask is we lead the Christian life and discern good from evil!

The imprisonment of Paul which first seemed to defend his Roman citizenship had become known as connected to Jesus Christ because it was!

Paul was no ordinary prisoner; his own captivity was a witness for Jesus Christ!

Sometimes our circumstance can overwhelm us when the Lord's intent was for these things be for His benefit!

We cannot allow ourselves to be defeated! A defeated Christian is useless to the Lord and a banner to display for our enemy.

The Apostle Paul could not claim to be innocent as was Christ Jesus but Paul was certainly imprisoned without having committed a crime!

His crime was preaching the salvation plan of the Lord!

Can you just imagine being a soldier chained to the Apostle Paul with each soldier being constantly relieved and another to take his place? The ones the Paul witnessed to, could not escape to get away from him.

It was not very long before the work of Christ to die for our sins was broadcast throughout the military of Rome.

Paul was then housed in his own house under guard and could receive all those who would hear the "Gospel".

It would not be long before Paul would stand before the supreme court of Rome and teach them the "Gospel".

Paul spent 2 years under these conditions.

Paul did never grumble or complain.

Paul did never question God and wonder why.

Paul did not become defeated and fall to pieces.

Paul did not ever curse God nor give up his "faith" in Christ.

Paul remained confident even in bondage.

Paul took this opportunity to spread the "Gospel"!

These things even encouraged the many who came to visit Paul to boldly preach the Gospel.

The truth is Christian persecution has never been able to stop the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

2Ti 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

2Ti 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

When we allow our circumstances to interfere with the spread of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, we are causing our own selves harm along with those who have not had the opportunity to meet and know the Lord!

The name of Jesus, the Messiah, was being mentioned in all of Rome.

*****Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

What is the truth? The motives of all those who preached and taught the Word of God were not all pure!

Some preached about Jesus Christ only because they are envious of those who preached the truth.

Some were even envious of those who twisted the Word of God and tickled the ears and had a massive following.

Even in bondage the Apostle Paul was preaching in places that reached even into the government of Rome and envy ruled some of the other preachers, even for this thing.

Many of those preached to undermine the influence of the Apostle Paul on the Christian Church!

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

But there were also those who became bold enough to come out of their closet and preach because of the love of Christ!

*****Php 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

Php 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

There are still those today who preach the Word of God only out of concern for their own pocketbooks. They have no love for Christ and they have no love for those lost souls.

Some still refuse to deliver the sincere milk of the Word of God and still deliver the baby's formula!

1Pe_2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Many of them may preached the truth, but not with a pure heart!

The Word of God preached with anything other than a pure heart has evil intentions!

It was because Paul was in bondage that these men were bold enough to come out in the open, yet they would twist these things around to say that Paul must be in bondage for some reason other than preaching the "Gospel".

They made Paul out to be the leader of some new sect that went against the truth of God!

Without a doubt, the true Christian of today is seen as some religious sect that go against the reality of a peaceful society.

What is the truth of God? We have the ministry of truth!

2Co 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2Co 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

What is the truth of preaching the "Gospel" out of envy? The "Gospel" is never to be about earthly riches.

(We must always support the truth)

1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

1Co 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

1Co 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

We must preach and the teach the truth of the "Gospel" without ever feeling ashamed at what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for each of us!

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Anything other than "faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ will not satisfy our Holy God!

Amen